The Red Sox overcame a rocky first inning by starter Rick Porcello and scored nine runs over the next three innings to club the Seattle Mariners, 9-5 for their fourth straight win, their longest winning streak of the season.
Porcello gave up five hits -- including four in a row -- to stake the visiting Mariners to a quick lead, but the Sox got a run back in the second on Mitch Moreland's solo homer and erupted for eight more runs in the third as eight straight hitters reached, capped by a three-run homer from light-hitting Sandy Leon, who hit his first homer since last July.
Porcello allowed just two more baserunner the rest of the way -- one on a walk and one on an error -- as he pitched into the seventh inning and even his record at 3-3. The Sox have won his last five starts.
WHO: Red Sox vs. Seattle Mariners
WHEN: 1:05 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
SEASON SERIES: Seattle 3-2
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Rick Porcello (2-3, 5.11) vs. RHP Felix Hernandez (1-3, 5.20)
TV/RADIO: NESN/WEEI 93.7 FM
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
2:50 Since the first inning, the only baserunner off Porcello was the result of his error on a popup in front of the mound. He's retired 13 of the last 14.
2:45 Chavis is still scuffling at the plate. In earlier at-bats, he pulled a couple pitches hard down the left field line, both foul. But he ends the fourth popping out to right and is now 0-for-18.
2:26 That's Leon's first homer since last Aug. 14.
2:23 This is how it's going for Roenis Elias so far: two-run single by Jackie (.145) Bradley, followed by a three-run homer from Sandy (.205) Leon. The Sox have scored nine unanswered runs.
2:18 Rafael Devers with his team-leading fifth stolen base.
2:13 Red Sox climb all the way back from 4-0 deficit, tying it with run-scoring singles from Xander Bogaerts (one RBI) and Rafael Devers (two RBI). Devers now has multiple hits in 10 of his last 14 games and six RBI in the last 12 innings.
1:50 Murphy's Law Day continues for Red Sox, as Porcello and Sandy Leon collide at the base of the mound and a pop-up off the bat of Edwin Encarnacion drops in.
1:36 Mitch Moreland homers to get the Red Sox on the board -- second homer in as many days and fifth in the last 10 games. Team-leading 12th homer of the season.
1:25 Certainly seems strange to see Felix Hernandez throwing his fastball 88-89 mph.
1:17 Ugly start for Rick Porcello, who trails 4-0 after five hitters. Three extra-base hits in a row -- two doubles and a two-run homer for Jay Bruce.Porcello has given up just two earned runs in his last two starts combined. Too many pitches over the middle of the plate, and predictably, a lot of hard contact by the Mariners.
LINEUPS:
RED SOX
Benintendi LF
Betts RF
Martinez DH
Moreland 1B
Bogaerts SS
Devers 3B
Chavis 2B
Bradley CF
Leon C
MARINERS
Haniger CF
Crawford SS
Encarnacion 1B
Vogelbach DH
Santana LF
Bruce RF
Narvaez C
Healy 3B
Long 2B
WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox have won three in a row, six of seven and nine of 11...They also have a winning record for the first time this season...With a win today or tomorrow, the Sox can win their fourth straight series....The Sox have hit 20 homers in their last 10 games, second in the big leagues in that span only to Houston (24)….Of the last 55 runs they've scored, 28 have come via homers....They've hit multiple homers in each of their last three and are 7-0 in their last seven games with more than one homer...The Sox lead the American League this month in runs scored (66), on-base percentage (.373) and walks (47)….In their last dozen games in which they've scored five or more runs, the Sox are 12-0...Andrew Benintendi has homered in each of his last three games...Benintendi is 1-for-28 in the first inning, but .358 in all other innings...Rafael Devers leads the team in average (.314), doubles (11) and stolen bases (four)….Mitch Moreland leads the team in homers (11), RBI (28) and slugging percentage (.566)...During their 11-4 stretch over the last 15 games, the Sox have a staff ERA of 2.64, second in the big leagues behind only Minnesota....Mookie Betts is hitting .380 since April 17 and has reached base safely in 18 of his last 19 games.....Xander Bogaerts has homered in three of his last six games and has accumulated nine RBI in that span....He's tied for the team lead with 17 extra-base hits....Michael Chavis is without a hit in his last 16 at-bats.....Sandy Leon is coming off his first multi-hit game (two hits) since last July 15...The Sox have won each of Rick Porcello's last four starts after losing each of his first three...Porcello has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his last four starts...He's 6-6 with 4.10 ERA lifetime against the Mariners.....Edwin Encarnacion is 13-for-43 with three homers lifetime against Porcello while Ryon Healy is 2-for-8....Mitch Moreland is just 10-for-55 with 15 strikeouts against Felix Hernandez.....J.D. Martinez is 4-for-8 in his career against Hernandez.
PRE-GAME NOTES:
- Nathan Eovaldi, for the second time, threw from his knees Saturday morning as he begins his rehab from elbow surgery last week. Initially, the Red Sox said Eovaldi would return after six weeks, but that timetable now seems unlikely. He was placed on the IL on April 20 -- retroactive to April 18.
- Brock Holt took batting practice, though he has to throw to test the impingement in his right shoulder. That's scheduled for Sunday. and if he can come out of that, Holt could re-start his rehab assignment with Triple A Pawtucket on Tuesday.